What should I wear to my appointment?

If you are to attend an appointment for physical therapy, e.g., osteopathy, aromatherapy, alexander technique it would be advisable to wear loose, comfortable clothing. You may be required to undress to your underwear. If you would feel more comfortable wearing a pair of shorts then please do bring some along. All patients are welcome to bring a chaperone/friend along with them to their appointment. Patients under 16 must be accompanied by an adult – either a parent / guardian, or a chaperone appointed by their parent / guardian.

How many appointments will I need?

This depends on each case and each therapy. Sometimes one appointment is enough and in many other cases a course of treatment is required. This will be discussed with you during your consultation. Please feel free to ask your therapist at any point about your treatment plan and how long things may take.

Do you accept credit/debit cards?

We accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Google pay. You can also pay for your appointment before by booking online – click here.

Where do I park?

We have one parking space in a designated bay outside the practice. If this is taken there are pay and display car parking bays nearby in Strafford Road, Haggard Road or Oak Lane. Another option is to park in the Arragon Road multi-storey car park (sometimes known as the Waitrose car park, postcode TW1 3NG) which is a couple of minutes walk away.

The practice’s designated bay is the middle one in the row of three straight ahead as you enter the Mews. As we operate 4 treatment rooms it is in high demand, please arrive with sufficient time to, if needed, park in one of the meter spaces locally in Stafford Road or Haggard Road or in the nearest car park in Waitrose. Please do not park in any other designated bays in the Mews, it will really help our relations with our neighbours!

Can I claim through my private health care?

Depending on your policy, our treatments are accepted by most health care insurance providers. We no longer work with AXA PPP and only Jessica Busen Smith currently works with BUPA.

Will I get an exercise programme to take away?

This will depend on the reason for your visit and your presenting problem. Any exercise programme will be designed specifically for you using great software that shows you diagrams of your exercises and video links to demonstrations of the same exercise. If your practitioner does not provide one and you think it would be useful then please feel free to discuss this with your practitioner.

Will treatment hurt?

Treatment should not be painful. Sometimes when working through tight muscles or a tender area there may be a little discomfort but if you are not happy with a technique or pressure being applied then please tell your therapist immediately so an alternative technique or treatment can be administered.

Are there any side-effects to treatment?

Side-effects can vary from feeling energised to feeling tired. Following an osteopathic treatment you may feel stiff or sore. This usually last around 48-72 hours. Some people describe their reaction as similar to aching and pain felt after exercising. If you have any concerns about your treatment please call us.

Can I bring a chaperone/friend?

All patients are welcome to bring a chaperone/friend along with them to their appointment. However patients under 16 must be accompanied by a parent / guardian or other chaperone appointed by their parent / guardian. Any information disclosed during an appointment is confidential. There may be circumstances where information is shared with other professional healthcare providers, for example, your GP, but only with your consent.

How can I give feedback?

We always try to provide outstanding health care and service. We welcome any feedback on your experience at The Maris Practice, be it positive or negative. This way, we can ensure that you receive the best possible care.

Is there a cancellation fee?

There is no charge for cancellations made 48 hours prior to the appointment. Cancellations made within 48 hours of your appointment will be charged at the full fee.

How do I make a complaint?

Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint or concern about the level of care you have received from any therapist or any member of staff, please let us know as soon as possible.

Our promise to you is that we shall:

  • Treat your complaint seriously
  • Work to resolve your complaint promptly and in confidence
  • Learn lessons and use them to review – and where appropriate – improve our service

Make your complaint to Claire Mac Donald either in person, by phone, by post or in an email [email protected].

If you telephone us or speak to us in person, the complaint will be logged and whoever takes your call will attempt to resolve the issue for you.

We will investigate your complaint during the following few days and will aim to:

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong
  • Make sure you receive an explanation and apology if this is appropriate
  • Deal with your complaint and reach an amicable solution
  • Identify what we can do as a practice to ensure that this problem does not arise again

If you do not feel that your complaint has been resolved to your satisfaction you can talk to an independent source about it. To have a discussion relating to an osteopathic treatment, you can telephone the Institute of Osteopathy on Freephone 0800 110 5857, or email [email protected]. If you are concerned about safety and you wish to instigate a formal complaint with the therapist’s regulatory body you are very welcome to do so. For osteopaths this is the General Osteopathic Council, who can be contacted on 0207 3576655. Please note that the General Osteopathic Council cannot award compensation.

If you require any further assistance of contact details please call reception on 0208 891 3400.